It Cannoli Be Murder by Catherine Bruns

Author:Catherine Bruns
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2020-04-26T16:00:00+00:00

Eleven

As I drove toward Justin’s house, my thoughts wandered back to Natalie. As far as I knew, Justin and Natalie hadn’t been in touch since their divorce over a year ago. An avid skier, she’d moved to Vermont with her boyfriend—the man with whom she’d had an affair. Was this why Justin had been so distracted at dinner the other night?

There had been a time when Justin, Natalie, Dylan, and I had gotten together almost every weekend, or whenever Justin’s work schedule allowed. Natalie and I were on friendly enough terms, but our relationship was nothing like our husbands’ rapport. Dylan had never cared for Natalie and told me so several times. Perhaps that had put me on my guard as well. Dylan felt Natalie took advantage of Justin—that she was too spoiled and pampered. When Justin broke the news that he’d caught her cheating with another man, Dylan had been livid. He’d told his friend that he was better off without her, and Justin had not taken the advice well. It was the only time I remembered them not speaking for a given amount of time.

Justin’s house was a small white ranch that Natalie had left him to pay for after she’d breezed out of town with her boyfriend. Questions crowded my brain. Did she think she could just waltz in and get back together with him, as if nothing had ever happened? Hadn’t she messed with his head enough? And lastly, why was I starting to obsess about this? I had no claim to Justin. Besides, I’d told him that I wasn’t ready for a relationship—with anyone.

Loving someone often came with the risks of disappointment and heartache. I’d experienced both. Once upon a time, I thought Dylan and I had the perfect marriage. After he died, I’d discovered some terrible secrets he’d kept from me and dishonest things he’d done, which had led to his murder. In his own mind, he’d felt justified in doing them, but that still didn’t make it right. However, Dylan always had my best interest at heart and was never unfaithful to me. That was the one thing I couldn’t have handled.

When I finally parked and rang the bell, a smell of burned meat permeated the air. My mood boosted, and I bit into my lower lip to keep from laughing. Justin opened the door immediately, a potholder in one hand and a can of air freshener in the other.

“Uh, there’s been a little change of plans,” he said, looking sheepish. “I called and ordered a pizza.”

I walked into the kitchen and stared at the blackened mess in the loaf pan on top of the stove. Justin had several windows open, but the smell was still strong, and I coughed. “What was it?”

He gave me a wry smile. “Meat loaf.”

I burst out laughing, and after a few seconds Justin joined me. “This is silly. I would have been happy to make dinner.” I waved a hand at the acrid air. “Plus, I would have enjoyed it.

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